Sequence timer



July 2, 1957 w. Q. NICHOLSON ETAL 2,798,138

SEQUENCE TIMER 2 Sheets-'Sheet l Filed Sept. 2l, 1953 INVENTOR. BY W *N rY/ mm E mm o\ .Htl .H41 Q o o o mJv mm mmm. n R M` .New Q u EL JW .C ww. NM li- July 2, 1957 w. Q. NICHOLSON Erm. I 2,798,138

SEQUENCE TIMER Filed Sept. 21. 1953 2 sheets-sheet 2 Z /8 GZ IN VEN TOR.

SEQUENCE TIMER William Q. Nicholson, Pasadena, and Curtis B. Warshawsky, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Hycon Mfg. Company, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of Delaware f Application September 21, 1953, Serial No. 381,277

4 Claims. (Cl. 20L-48) This invention relates to a mechanism for producing a series of electrical impulses selected as to chronological sequence and wave shape and accordingly may be referred to as a sequence timer.

Sequence timers are useful for a number of applications including the testing or operating of complex mechanisms. For example, they may be used to start in motion complicated electro-mechanical machines or electromechanico-chemical machines whether airborne, land vehicles or marine. Wherever one function must be performed in a particular time sequence to another and a large plurality of interrelated functions are required, these devices are useful.

It is a general object of the invention to produce a sequence timer that is rugged in construction and reliable in operation.

Another object is to providea sequence timer producing electrical impulses pre-selected in chronology and wave shape.

Still another object is to produce a sequence timer that is easy to assemble and is readily adjustable.

Other objects and advantages will be'apparent in the following description and claims considered together with the accompanying drawings forming an integral part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of a sequence timer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2 and illustrating the switch operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line IV-lV of Fig. 1 and illustrating the latch mechamsm.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view of the solenoid valve element of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VI-Vl of Fig. 1 and illustrating the potentiometer operating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the left hand end of the device of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view partially in section of the mounting of the switches.

Referring to the drawings, especially Fig. l, 2 and 3, the entire sequence timer may be referred to by the numeral 10, and may have a combined frame and base 11 having a pair of parallel webs 12 and 13 transverse to its length. Mounted on one end of the base 11 may be an electric motor 14 having a built in gear reducer 16 which in turn drives a shaft 17 journaled in the transverse Webs 12 and 13. A plurality of switches 18 may be aligned side by side adjacent to the shaft 17, and a plurality of potentiometer resistors 19 may be aligned side by side as well as aligned with the switches. A plurality of cams 21 may be mounted on the shaft to operate the switches 18 and a plurality of cams 22 may operate wipers for the potentiometer resistors 19.

ited States Patent() l Referring now to the shaft 17, it will be noted that a cup shaped member 23 may be secured on its end near the motor 14 as by a pin 24.y This cup supports that end of shaft 17 and the cup 23 may be journaled in the web 13 as by means of a bushing 26. Disposed Within the cup may be a clutch surface formed of tapered ring 27 acting as the driven member of a clutch and the driving member may be a frusto conical member 28 driven by the gear reducer 16. Suitable means may keep the two clutch members 27-28 in engagement.

This clutch may be on a limited torque type permitting the clutch to slip. This permits the latch to be used to start and stop the shaft 17 instantly, but high mechanical stresses are avoided from the inertia of the motor 14 by this slipping clutch. lf desired, the motor may be Started ahead of time and the clutch may slip until the instant shaft is released for rotation.

The other end of shaft 17 may be mounted in web 12 by means of a bushing 31 and a snap ring 32 may limit end play of the shaft to keep the clutch parts in assembly. Disposed on the outer end of shaft 17 may be an indicator dial 33 also shown in Fig. 7. This dial may be calibrated to read against a zero setting suitably supplied, as by a stationary plate 34 mounted on web 12.

The mechanism of operation of the switches 1S by the cams 21 is best illustrated in Fig. 3. A plurality of leaf springs 36 may be suitably fastened to the frame 11 to project between the switches and the cams. Each spring 36 may have an upwardly bent ear 36a to ride on the rim or other surface of the cams 21. The cams may have a suitable contour to operate the leaf springs and may use bumps or notches 21a or other shapes as desired. The leaf springs act as actuators for the switches. The switch 18 may be of any suitable type and micro switches are presently preferred.

The mechanism for operating the potentiometers is best illustrated in Fig. 6. The potentiometer resistors 19 may be held against V-shape'd recesses by a pair of clamp bars 37 held by screws 3S, which structure is also illustrated in Fig. 2. In addition to the resistor 19, each potentiometer may include a wiper arm 39 suitably pivoted as to shaft 41, illustrated also in Fig. 1. The wiper arm 39 may slide along the entire length of resistors 19 as illustrated by the broken outline of the arm in Fig. 6. The cam 22 may be engaged by a plunger 42 urged against it by a compression spring 43 held in a tubular recess 44. The plunger 42 may be loosely pinned to the wiper arm 39 as at 46. The plunger-spring arrangement permits accurate following of the cam by the wiper arm, but direct contact by the arm could be employed if desired.

Illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is the latch mechanism which locks the shaft 17 against rotation until the proper instant of operation. A plate 48 (also shown in Fig. l) may be secured to the frame 11 and as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, may be horizontally disposed. Pivoted to the to the plate at 49 may be a crank shaped lever S1 which may engage a cam 21 having a notch 21b formed therein. Carried on the lever may be an adjustable screw 52 bearing against the associated leaf spring 36. Actuation of the associated switch 1S gives the zero electrical impulse for the entire sequence of operation.

The latch lever 51 may be rocked on its pivot 49 by a solenoid 53 which may include a housing 54 supported on plate 48 and carrying winding S6, a stationary core 57 and a moveable core 58. A link 59 may be loosely pivoted to the lever 51 by a pin 61 and may be threaded or otherwise secured to the moveable core Sii. A compression spring 62 may urge the lever 51 into engagement with the cam notch 21h. Actuation of the solenoid pulls the moveable core 58 into engagement with stationary core 57, overcoming the spring 62 and releasing cam 21. At the same time switch 18 is actuated.

Illustrated in Fig. 8 (and Fig. 2) is the adjustable mounting for the bank of switches 18 permitting precise adjustment of all switches at the same time. A pair of rods 63 and 64 pass through all of the switches 18. Rod 64 may be mounted in web 13V and in a transverse flange 65. An eccentric bushing 66 may be mounted in the flange 65 and an eccentric bushing 67 may be mounted in web 13. Set screws 68 and 69 may engage bushings 66 and 67. The bushings 66 and 67 may be rotated together or independently to dispose the switches at the precise level with regard to the cams 21.

Various electrical connections may be made in any desired manner, and there is illustrated in section in Fig. 2 several specimens of binding posts 71 presently preferred.

In operation, the solenoid 53 and the motor 14 are connected to operate together. The solenoid rotates lever 51 counterclockwise with respect to Fig. 4, releasing the associated cam 21 which permits the shaft 17 to rotate. At the same time screw 52 operates the associated switch 18 giving a zero time impulse. The motor 14 drives through clutch members 27 and 28 torotate shaft 17. Cams 21 and 22 rotate in response to rotation of shaft 17 operating the switches 18 and the potentiometers 1939.

The switches 18 operate by means of their leaf spring actuator 36 (Fig. 3) having the projecting ears 36a fit within notches 21a.

The potentiometers 19-39 operate o of the cams 22 as illustrated in Fig. 6, the cam surface bearing against the plunger 42 to which the wiper arm 39 is pivoted. In this manner the arm 39 may transverse the entire length of the resistor 19 giving any desired electrical Wave form depending upon the winding on the resistor 19 and the shape of the cam 22.

Upon starting the rotation of the shaft 17 the power to solenoid 53 may be stopped and when one complete rotation has been made the notch 2lb will be engaged by the crank lever 51 under urging of the compression spring 62. While the invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof it is not limited to that embodiment, norv otherwise, but includes within its scope all variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

l. In a sequence timer for producing a synchronized plurality of selected electrical wave forms, a base; a pair of parallel spaced ridges on said base having aligned V-shaped notches; a plurality of cylindrically shaped potentiometer resistors disposed in aligned pairs of notches; clamp bars fastened over said ridges for holding the resistors in place in the notches; a plurality of potentiometer wipers mounted above said base for rotation on an axis parallel to the ridges; a shaft mounted for rotation above said base and parallel to the ridges; cams mounted on the shaft adjacent to each wiper and engaging the associated wiper; and means for rotating the shaft.

2. A sequence timer comprising: a frame; a shaft mounted inthe frame for rotation; electric motor means for rotating the shaft; a plurality of' cams adjustably mounted on said shaft, one of said cams having a notch therein; electrical control elements mounted on said framev and contacted by the other of said cams; a latch lever pivotably mounted on saidframe and having one end engaging the notch on said one cam; and a solenoid mounted on said frame and connected to the other end of said latch lever, whereby energizing the motor cannot rotate the shaft until the latch is actuated.

3. A sequence timer as defined in claim 2 wherein the control elements are potentiometers.

4. A sequence timer as dened in claim 2 wherein a slipping clutch is interposed between the motor and the shaft.

References Cited in the le ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,365 Thorp et al. Ian. 4, 1944 2,366,968 Kaufman Jan. 9, 1945 2,468,974k Hammer May 3, 1949 2,522,601 Brown Sept. 19, 1950 

